“Spiel’s” horizontal petroleum engine, made in sizes from ½ to 8 nominal horse-power (1½ to 17 indicated horse-power), with 3 ft. 9 in. to 5 ft. 9 in. flywheels, and costing from 59l. to 246l., with water tank complete. The extra cost of a centrifugal oil pump attached is from 50s. to 70s.
214. Etéve Petroleum Engine.
Fig. 214 is the “Etéve” horizontal petroleum engine (Priestmann Bros., 52 Queen Victoria Street, London), made in sizes from ½ to 10 nominal horse-power (1¼ to 20 indicated horse-power), with from 3 ft. 4 in. to 5 ft. 6 in. flywheels, and costing from 60l. to 275l., with water tank complete. This motor is also made mounted on a truck for agricultural purposes.
A petroleum motor is especially suited for launches and small yachts, on account of its cleanliness, and dispensing with the roomy and dirty coal bunker, the store of oil being in tanks under the seats, &c.; what is most important is that there is no smoke, and the engine requires but a few minutes to start and attain full speed.
A high authority gave his opinion to the writer that the small motor of the future will be undoubtedly the petroleum engine.
Hot-air or Caloric Engine.—This motor is worked by the expansion of atmospheric air when subjected to heat. Fig. 215 is a sectional drawing of the “Rider” hot-air pumping engine (Hayward, Tyler & Co., 39 Queen Victoria Street, London), and we cannot do better than copy the makers’ description of its working parts. “The compression piston C first compresses the cold air in the lower part of the compression cylinder A, into about one-third its normal volume, when by the advancing of the power piston D and the completion of the down stroke of piston C, the air is transferred from the cylinder A through the regenerator H and into the heater F, without appreciable change of volume. The result is a further increase of pressure, and this impels the power piston up to the end of its stroke. The pressure still remaining in the power cylinder and reacting on the piston C, forces the latter upwards till it reaches nearly the top of its stroke, when, by the cooling of the charge of air, the pressure falls to its minimum, the power piston descends, and the compression again begins, the same air being used continuously. E is a water jacket for cooling the air more effectually, K K are leather packings, L is a check valve which remedies any leakage of air.” This engine is made in three sizes, ¼, ½, and 1 horse-power, costing 40l. to 100l. including lift and force pump, as at Fig. 216, the higher prices being fitted with driving pulley for power. These engines are especially well adapted for pumping, a ¼ horse-power with 2 in. pump delivering 500 gal. per hour 40 ft. high, the engine costing 42l. complete. There is no skill required in working them, the only labour needed being to start and stop the engine, to replenish the fire (coke fuel), and the necessary attention to lubricators. The consumption of coke is 2½ lb., 4 lb. and 9 lb. per hour for the three sizes respectively; this represents a cost of about one halfpenny per 1000 gal. of water raised 30 ft. high; it will be understood that all pumping engines can be fitted with gear for deep-well work when necessary.
215. Rider Hot-air Engine. 217. Horizontal Hot-air Engine.
